New Bhairav battalion, robots, Kamikaze drones, Op Sindoor missiles to debut at Army Day parade today

NEW DELHI: A wide range of hi-tech weapons, robots, kamikaze drones, newly-raised battalions and advanced missile systems used in Operation Sindoor will debut at this year’s Army Day parade in Jaipur on Thursday.The centre of attraction of the parade will be the new Bhairav Battalion — positioned between the Para Special forces and regular infantry units, it was raised as part of the army’s recent restructuring, drawing operational lessons from global conflicts, including Operation Sindoor.The parade will also display artillery and rocket capabilities, with several missile and launcher systems, including BrahMos, Pinaka, BM-21 Grad, Smerch and indigenous Akashteer, on show.

Several drones, including Mini Harpy, Harop, Peacekeeper, and Sky Striker, will also be displayed.Artillery platforms such as the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System and US-imported M777 ultra-light howitzer will also be part of the parade. The recently-introduced Sapper Scout unmanned ground vehicle, AEGMA ES 500, Airawat 1000 and other unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) used for logistical support will also be featured.

The advanced electronic warfare and communication systems to be part of the parade include satellite communication vehicles, integrated drone identification systems, vehicle-mounted drone jammers, jammer stations known as Samyukta, the HimShakti electronic warfare system and Trishul tactical drone jammers. These systems in use by the Army strengthen counter-drone capability and improve situational awareness.Other equipment on display will include 81 mm mortars, modular bridge systems, the Sherp all-terrain vehicle, the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle, also known as Nandighosh, Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles and the T-90 Bhishma main battle tank, among others. This year, the Army will also feature its latest Apache attack helicopters, among other rotary-wing aircraft. The final batch of three Apache helicopters arrived in Dec, completing the delivery of all six.These helicopters have been inducted into the Army's 451 Army Aviation Squadron, which is based in Jodhpur.